On July 29, the day after the shooting, Naveed Afzal Haq appeared in court for his bail hearing. King County, Washington District Court Judge Barbara Linde found that the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office had probable cause to charge Haq with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Linde also set Haq's bail at $50 million and denied a motion to bar cameras and video taping from the courtroom. [12] On August 2, Haq was formally charged with nine felonies: aggravated murder, five counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary and malicious harassment. Malicious harassment is a hate crime under Washington State law. Of these nine charges, the most serious, aggravated murder, could carry the death penalty. Prosecutors must decide whether to seek the death penalty by September, 2006. [3]

During a hearing on August 10, 2006, Haq surprised the court by indicating that he wished to enter a guilty plea on all charges. The judge refused to do so until after a competency hearing. Additionally, experts consulted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer expressed doubts as to whether Haq will be allowed to plead guilty before the prosecution decides whether he will face the death penalty. [13] On August 16, C. Wesley Richards, Haq's attorney, told the court that Haq had changed his mind and chosen to plead not guilty. Additionally, Richards said that Haq was mentally competent to stand trial since he understood the charges against him and was capable of assisting in his own defense.

I was just adding info for others who may not remember details of this grossly underreported case.

This story is seldom reported except in the context of the "need" for more gun control, of course. That the shooter is an Islamist terrorist somehow gets missed. Here is a spectacular hate crime and it got only brief mention, while some actor saying a racial slur gets in the headlines for weeks. The media cannot use this story over and over for gun control propaganda, even though they would like to. There is the danger people would put two and two together and realize the shooter had terrorist motives.

20
posted on 11/30/2006 4:49:23 AM PST
by Wilhelm Tell
(True or False? This is not a tag line.)

Though most Jewish Federation offices employ Christians, the only Christian injured in this shooting was Layla Bush. She is likely still in rehab, and doctors told her fsamily that she came a centimeter from a fatal wound.

25
posted on 11/30/2006 7:31:25 AM PST
by Mr. Silverback
(We will need to crush the Iraq Study Group like we crushed Harriet Miers. Be ready.)

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